SAP NEWSBYTE - SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced that it is continuing to innovate with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in a global relationship to help provide tennis players, coaches, fans and the media with unprecedented insights through interactive analytics underpinned by the SAP HANA® platform. The announcement was made at the 2013 TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships, being held October 22-27 in Istanbul, Turkey, where SAP is an official sponsor.

The WTA Championships feature the world’s top eight female singles tennis players and top four female doubles pairs. In preparation for the prestigious event, SAP worked closely with the WTA to develop tools that can truly enhance the sport. SAP will provide media with access to a new interactive dashboard for the WTA that tracks player performance throughout the tournament. The dashboard created for WTA offers access to detailed historical information that complements the head-to-head information provided by the WTA.

Coaches are now able to receive post-match point-by-point analysis, allowing them to focus on the subtle differences and technique variations that players use throughout a match. Not only does this allow coaches to dissect their player’s game, it can also be used to analyze other players and help develop an optimal strategy for each opponent. Information can now be tailored specifically to the player and coaches individual needs.

“An increased understanding of my player and her opponent’s game can give me an edge that could mean the difference between winning and losing,” said Tomek Wiktorowski, coach of WTA World No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska. “The ability to access tailored SAP data is making a real difference to the way coaches work. We can now provide our players with more strategic advice, improving their preparation and ultimately on court performance.”

In the stadium, tennis fans will enjoy the sport like never before by experiencing visually engaging key statistics on their favorite players. The big screen at Sinan Erdem Dome will showcase player improvements, comparisons and key statistics on the leading players competing in Istanbul.

“We are excited to work with the WTA to help take the tennis experience to the next level for fans, media, players and coaches,” said Steve Peck, senior vice president, Global Strategic Initiatives, SAP AG. “The innovative solutions we have developed for Istanbul are only the beginning of what we plan to deliver for the tennis world in 2014 and beyond.”

SAP is taking its expertise in business to the business of sports, with an aim to transform the sports experience by enhancing and evolving how data is consumed and ultimately used to make decisions, influence and envision new possibilities. SAP and the WTA plan to help tennis grow and develop by increasing participation and enabling organizations and tournaments to deliver a superior sporting future.